– How can researchers quantify and study ethnocentrism? Are these studies based on speculation gathered from particular trends and incidents, or are they derived from interviews with people who hold such views?
– Putnam explores the advantages and disadvantages to increasing cultural diversity in particular neighborhoods. The article suggests that while immigration can benefit a community culturally, fiscally, and developmentally, the bonds between the people in that community become strained as a result of this diversity. Putnam highlights the lack of altruism and cooperation that are evident with increasing diversity. I found the conflicting effects of immigration and diversity quite interesting. While diversity and immigration can enhance creativity, thus stimulating rapid economic growth, the two can also foster social isolation. I found it interesting that Putnam draws a distinction between diversity and immigration, thereby suggesting that the two are not synonymous. I was previously unaware of this fact; I always used to believe that increasing diversity was a result of immigration. He cites the example of black-white diversity in the US, stating that the blacks are not immigrants (they have actually been in the US longer than most whites’ ancestors), but the integration of the two groups leads to ethnic diversity.
– I was interested in the interracial trust study, as it seems to answer one of my questions about understanding ethnocentrism. The results of this study disprove both the conflict and the contact theories. The conflict theory suggests that exposure to other cultures allows one to overcome the fear of those that are ‘other’, whereas the conflict theory holds that diversity will foster out-group mistrust and in-group solidarity (this stems from a competition of limited resources). The interracial trust study revealed that, in more diverse settings, people tend not to trust anyone – regardless of whether or not the others are coethnics. Instead, people who live in such communities seem to prefer social isolation and do not prefer community lifestyles.
